Devils team report

[Sylvanfan]

Today New York Post Hockey Writer Bruce-Larry Brooks caught up with Devils GM Sylvanfan. The Devils GM was quite candid in assessing his squad and offered a few comments as he finishes up his third season as a CPHL GM with his third different team.

NY POST BLB: Syl, when you first got the job as Devils GM, what were your thoughts about the team that you had inherited.

DEVILS GM SYL: Well let me tell you it was about as opposite of what I walked into in Edmonton as you could possibly be. This team was old, over rated, and terrible. In all honesty I thought it was pretty unappealing. My best player was an NHL backup goalie who rates around the 20th best goalie in the league and has a pretty hefty salary. My two best players were on IR with Keith Primeau having suffered a concussion and Luc Robitaille with a bad ankle sprain. Which made things worse was that these two best players of mine didn't have particularly good ratings, and were both really old. Behind them there wasn't much of a supporting crew, and a pretty non-existant prospect base. I did have a few picks, but nothing that was going to be a good draft pick outside of my first round pick next year. The Team needed a really serious overhaul.

BLB: As you're aware the Devils are about to miss the playoffs for a third straight year, what do you speak of when you talk about an "Overhaul"? In your opinion what has plagued what has become the CPHL's worst franchise?

SYL: Well too much change has been the problem with this team. No one has ever been able to settle into the GM chair for more than 7 months since Axel the kraut bolted town. As a result too many different strategies have been tried and none of them worked. Worst off is that new GM's usually get beat badly in their first few trades and the Devils had a lot of new GM's in a short period of time, and had a lot of guys make deals that were pretty lopsided losses. No one has ever stuck with a full out youth movement for an extended period of time. In my opinon that is the best way for me to get the team turned around and closer to the top 5 in the conference than being in the bottom five. I mean I could likely make a few moves in the offseason to aquire a veteran team to run at the playoffs, but again I'd be striving to build an 8th place team that needs to be reworked the next season. That is what usually causes mulitple years of missed playoffs more than anything.

BLB: The CPHL is often referred to as a trading league, yet you seem to be leaning towards using a non-trading strategy. Why is that?

SYL: Well trading is much harder to do now that it's ever been. Unless you have quality players, it's hard to trade to bring in a quality player. Certainly it can be done, Goffie is a great example of a GM who used trading to turn a doormat into a contender. But to be honest trading has never been a stong part of my managing. Trading takes a lot of time at all hours of the day. Good traders always find a way to jump on GM's who are willing to move good players. It's a great skill, that I wish I had, but I'm honest enough to admit that it's not a stong suit, and that I'll go with my what I think are my strengths.

BLB: So if you're not going to be doing a lot of trading will you be active in the free agency market?

SYL: Well I would like to be, but I'm afraid there won't be much left. As it stands right now there are about 11 forwards, 7 defenceman, and 4 goalies who I would have interest in. Of course theres me and 31 other teams who will also be interested in these 22 players. So even to get one of those guys is going to require a very hefty premium. And that assumes that none of them do extensions. I'll bet by the time July 1st hits that at least 5 of them won't be on the market anymore. So I'd have to caution that free agency won't be saving this team this year.

BLB: The upcoming draft is supposed to suck major ass this year. As it stands you'll have picks in the range of 15-20, 33-35, 45-50 and than 6 more after the 100 mark passes. What can you do with those picks?

SYL: Yeah, unfortunately we're not going to get much in the way of immediate help from this years draft. With 9 picks we hope that we can get 4 guys who eventually become NHL players, and a couple others who make pro hockey that can be trade bait at some point in time. If we're luckey we'll be able to bundle a few for higher picks....But really unless you're inside the top 8 players you're guessing as much as the next GM will be.

BLB: Would you care to analyze the moves you have made as Devils GM for the fans reading this at home?

SYL: I'll do my best here...First trade IIRC was Fernando Pisani for a 3rd round pick (MON). Basically at the time I needed a forward and Pisani was a CPHL guy I could use. Even though he was a pending UFA, I felt I could always trade him for what I got him for or more. Than Ales Kotalik for Anson Carter. Basically a younger cheaper player with more upside for an aging vet who had peaked. Next was a bit of a gamble with Steve Rucchin for pending UFA Michael Nylander. I gambled that I could get a better guy who was pending UFA and re-sign him to get his trade value up. I was able to resign Nylander and trade him later. Than I did Nolan Pratt and Shaone Morrison for two draft picks 2006 CBJ 2nd and 2007 SJ 1st. In hindsight not such a great trade for me. I was hoping that the SJ first would be a top 5 pick in that draft, but right now it's debatable. Morrison looks like he'll be a dependable defensive defenceman which is what Pratt is. Pratt came to the Devils via waivers so I gues trading him for anything was a bonus. That trade could still turn out alright for me, but it will take a long time to develop. Next was Peter Worrell for a 5th. No regrets there.

After that was Dan Fritsche for Chris Neil. That one has worked okay so far as Fritsche has played well for us. Biggest issue there will be how NHL Fritsche develops as he's struggled a bit lately. Next was Nylander, Kotalik, and Boston 1st for Martin Hanzal and Robert Lang. I think that one was okay as Hanzal is a fair bit better than what I think you can get in the 28-30 pick this year. Lang was a legitimate star top line centre, but he was up there in years and costly. Still not my best trade. Next was a quasi controversial deal where Rhett Warrener and Keith Primeau went to the Nords for Jack Johnson, Tom Preissing, John Filewich, and a 5th. That deal was made when I felt Primeau was done for the year and no longer any good to me. Warrener is a decent defensive defenceman, but nothing spectacular and I think Preissing can be just as good. Johnson is the key player though as we hope that he can develop into a top pairing defenceman. Filewich is a long range prospect who we hope can become a 3rd line player down the road. Basically we see it as moving Warrener for those players and getting something for Primeau before he devaluated to nothing. At that point it was sell off time.

We moved John Madden for Nick Dimitrakos. Younger less expensive player for a veteran who has plateaued and was going to be more use somewhere else. We than dealt Lang back to the Panthers for Danius Zubrus, Martin Biron, and Vernon Fiddler. Subsequently we dealt Zubrus and a 3rd for Nils Ekman, Benoit Pouloit, Alexander Svitov and a 5th. Basically we moved Lang for what we hope is 4 decent CPHL players and a potential star in Pouliot. Another deal we made was probably the worst deal I've made as Devils GM and that was Skrastins and Pisani for 2-2nd round picks a 3rd and two other dead weight assets. Basically a night where I was fielding a lot of offers and got lost and accepted a really really bad deal. Just a Stupid fu%*ing trade on my part. But ultimately I lost a pending UFA who I could have a chance to re-sign this summer and a 5-6 defenceman who didn't have great ratings and won't move too much from where he's currently at. So if thats the worst trade I'm going to make this time round, than it's not that bad. Still I'm pretty pi$$ed at myself for making that deal.

After that I traded pending UFA's Grant Marshall and Aaron Miller plus salary considerations for 4th round picks with Jonas Hoglund also coming my way to offset salary. Basically getting something for assets I was gong to cut loose. Next deal was Luc Robitaille, Jani Hurme, and a 3rd rounder for Radek Bonk, Brett McLean, and a 4th. This deal was basically moving an aging asset in Robitaille who carried retirement risk and Hurme who's real life career looks finished for Bonk who used to be a top 6 forward and might regain form, but will at least still play, and McLean who appears to have established himself as an NHL regular this year. Finally after all this we dealt Glen Wesley for Darius Kaspartis. Similar players but Kaspar is signed for one more year and carries less retirement risk, although at a premium price.

BLB: Well that was long winded, but I'm sure the readers will like that. One final question, where do the Devils rank in the CPHL in your mind right now?

SYL: Right now I think we're 30 or 31 in a 32 team league. We really don't have much at all. We have 4 good prospects and not much in the way of established CPHL talent. We won't get much help in this years draft, so we still have a lot of work to do here. Still I think we have to stay the course as it's the only way I think I can get this team out of the dulldrums that it's been in for what feels like forever. Key will be for me to keep my focus and stay patient.

[Preds GM - CPHL]

Very long and informative write-up.

It will take alot of work to fix the mess in Disneyland, the Mickey Mouse Org. but if the young players pan out for ya than you shoudl be able to compete soon. Aside from free agents, I think trading is the best way to build a team.

[Sylvanfan]

Originally Posted by flamer8984

I think trading is the best way to build a team.

Theres no question that trading is the fastest way to turn a team around. But I still think trading requires a lot of dedication, perseverance and skill. I have a hard time being on MSN more than 10 hours a week. So given my personal time contraints it makes it hard for me to accomplish what I need to do solely via the trade route. Trading GM's not only have to get their team built via trades, but they have to continue spending the time to maintain their teams. The effort usually does pay off though as the most active GM's tend to have teams at the top of the league.

But like I said it's not something I've ever been very good at. I've never been able to jump on a new guy and steal a player from him like a lot of the other top GM's have. I'm not aggressive enough in going after other teams players either. From my experience theres two ways in which you can all out win a deal. One way is to ask a GM what he wants for a player who's not on the block and force the GM to come up with stuff on the spot and continue attacking with close, but low ball offers until that GM caves. The other way is to devise beforehand what you want for a player and than publically put that player up for bids. I'm never been very good at either, and have been on the wrong side of a few of those deals. I'm not criticizing the trading GM's here either. Believe me, I wish I was more like them because if I was I'd have a much better team, and the Oilers would be so damn good the rest of you would have already thrown in the towel on this season.

[Hanna Sniper]

Originally Posted by Sylvanfan

But like I said it's not something I've ever been very good at. I've never been able to jump on a new guy and steal a player from him like a lot of the other top GM's have. I'm not aggressive enough in going after other teams players either. From my experience theres two ways in which you can all out win a deal. One way is to ask a GM what he wants for a player who's not on the block and force the GM to come up with stuff on the spot and continue attacking with close, but low ball offers until that GM caves. The other way is to devise beforehand what you want for a player and than publically put that player up for bids. I'm never been very good at either, and have been on the wrong side of a few of those deals. I'm not criticizing the trading GM's here either. Believe me, I wish I was more like them because if I was I'd have a much better team, and the Oilers would be so damn good the rest of you would have already thrown in the towel on this season.

There’s nothing wrong with not being that style of GM Sly, I myself find myself in the same boat… gone are the day of honest offers from both perspectives, they still come about ever once in a while and when they do it’s pretty easy to see the deal go through but right now that’s not the trend in the way of building a team at the moment. It’s a matter of doing what you can and still approach your way of negotiating and hope that the trends swings back again.

At the moment it’s a home run or nothing, I’ve asked GM’s that I think are the old school type GM’s and have been told to just keep at it and be patient. The deals are there you just have to not let the rest throw you off.

[Beerfund]

Nicely done, as usual, your writeups are always intriguing.
There is another strategy when it comes to trading. Its a bit slower than the rotating door approach that can get a team to the top very quickly. Its has more to do with finding a win win situation. The basic strategy I use is to identify what another team needs and find a way to fill it. There are teams that are focussing on this season, while others are focussed on next. The key is to find a team that is on a different plan than your club. I sent a number of elite players this year to teams looking to make a run for it. In exchange I received a fair amount of depth and players performing in the NHL but not yet rated well in the CPHL. I looked for teams that we're willing to move a young guy for a vet. I lost on OV but gained on youth/potential/salary. The other team gained on OV to help them in their quest for a cup. The other thing I look for is an imbalance in rosters, som GMs are heavy on D, others heavy on F, some have lots of offence, others lots of DF, I try to find a way we can both help our clubs.
So its not a matter of 'jumping on that new GM to strip them of their talent' Its a matter of workign for that win win situation. The two things that a find funny are:

1. When I tell a team that I'm building for next year and they turn around and offer me a draft pick for a 20 year old guy performing well in the NHL.

2. When a team comes after one of my top players and then is not willing to discuss their top players. I have no problem 'helping' another team, just provide me with adequate 'motivation'

Finding a win win deal is not a matter of spending countless hours on MSN, it more a matter of learning other teams rosters and working out proposals.

[Sylvanfan]

Thanks for the input Beer and Hanna, you are both GM's that I have a tremendous amount of respect for and always value your input.

I do agree with the comments about learning other teams and than making trades that try to help out both clubs. They do take a bit of research but these deals can help both clubs. I think that trading ultimately is most beneficial to a team if it's done with a purpose. If you look through my analysis of my deals thats basically been the back bone for most of my trades this year where I have traded for youth and picks and accumulated assets in exchange for older veteran players who were going to better serve playoff type teams. I have found that the Cheese rule has hindered me as there are teams who likely would push the limits but have been unable to because of this rule.

I also agree that nothing frustrates me more than someone coming to me and offering 5-5th round picks in the 2007 draft for Ladislav Smid, or insisting he be part of any deal type of thing....Right now guys like Smid are what I'm trying to accumulate and I'm sorry if he's not going to be traded today.....The timing for that deal isn't right for what I'm trying to do right now. I guess I don't fault GM's for asking, I mean if I'm that ######ed that I trade Smid for a 4th round pick and get blind fold raped than power to a GM who pulls that off. But when I decline and state that it's not my plan, don't spend an hour coming up with equally crappy but different offers for the player I just said was part of my plans.

[Goffie]

I have agree that the trading route is getting harder. When I became a GM about a year ago I was bombarded with trade offers and inquiries. I took my time looked at all the offers I was getting and tweaked one until it worked for both sides. Either that or I targeted a player that I wanted and started off with a fair offer. This Strategy is the only way to go when making an offer I think. It gets deals done quick and leaves both GM's with a good feeling after the deal. There is nothing worst then when a GM sends you a low ball offer, it hits like an insult and makes me not want to deal with them at all.

For the most part a lot of GM's do understand value, but deals are not getting done because both GM's are looking for the same thing, and that is understandable. But when someone asks me to "Throw In" Ales Hemsky cause he is only a 70ov that stuff really ticks me off. Some GM's are looking for something for nothing and that causes a decrease in trade activity. GM's need to understand that they don't need to clearly win a deal in order to make a trade. There are many times I know I lost a deal, but usually it is to allow me to make a deal that I will win. Trades go both ways, but in general after a trade both GM's should be happy.

[Beerfund]

Agreed. Its frustrating to continually respond to offers where the other GM adds pinto after pinto to try and get your Lexus. BOTH GMs need to work towards that win win situation, plus they must be appropriate trading partner.

[Young Guns]

It does seem like alot of gm's arent interested in making a deal unless they are the clear cut winner when all is said and done. Not alot of lateral deals happening. Not like last season anyways. I think money is alot bigger of a issue this season in making deals as well. There are not to many teams that are able to take on more money it seems. Also Counter offers are always a nice touch if the deal is close. After making a offer and getting the "no thanks" reply it turns most gm's off from making that GM another offer down the road.